HARRIET Harman has demanded that the next Doctor Who should be a woman.

Labour's former deputy leader, a prominent feminist, also said the BBC should appoint a man as the new Doctor's assistant so she could 'tell him what to do'.

But Theresa May - who has said she is a fan of the show - hit back, saying the sex of the Doctor was a matter for the programme's makers to decide.

The current Doctor, Scottish actor Peter Capaldi, made the shock announcement on Monday night that he is leaving after three years. Twelve actors have played the Time Lord since the show began in 1963, and so far all have been white men. Bookmakers suggest that likely replacements in the Tardis include James Bond star Ben Whishaw and The IT Crowd's Richard Ayoade, who would be the first black Doctor. Rory Kinnear and Harry Potter star Rupert Grint have also been named as potential contenders to pick up the sonic screwdriver.

Yesterday Billie Piper, who played the Doctor's assistant Rose Tyler when BBC1 revived the show in 2005, tweeted that it would be a 'welcome turn' for a woman to take the role. Potential female candi dates are said to include Broad-church star Olivia Colman. Announcing his decision to step down, Capaldi said: 'I've never worked the same job for three years, and I feel like now is the right time to move on.'

The show's writer and producer Steven Moffat is also leaving at the end of the next series.

He will be replaced by Broad-church creator Chris Chibnall, who will choose the 13th Doctor. Insiders say it is likely he will select someone younger than the 58-year-old Capaldi, in the hope they can recreate the popularity the show enjoyed a decade ago when David Tennant was the star. Speaking at a Westminster lunch yesterday, Miss Harman said: 'Of course there should be a female Doctor Who but what we need is a man as her assistant. She has got to just tell him what to do, he will need that leadership.'

But the Prime Minister's spokeswoman said of Mrs May: 'As someone who has been clear she enjoys Doctor Who, I think she will just want to see it continue and continue to be entertaining.'

Comic:

New Doctor Who?

'And no doubt we'll have to wait months to see him'

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